How am I not concussed? Or is the worst yet to come...
 

Hi folks,

Back again, unfortunately.

I got hit by a widowmaker while cutting trees yesterday. It hit me square on the head, knocked my hard hat off, and it was a super heavy chunk of wood. I stopped work immediately and went in sat in the truck despite feeling fine. Two hours later I got an extremely bad headache so I went to the ER. The ER was more worried about my neck than anything but the x-rays turned out fine. Headache went away after a few tylenols.

They actually did a pretty intensive concussion test for an ER (I've been through a lot - this was similar to the IMPACT questioning). I passed everything with flying colors.

Today my neck is killing me, as to be expected. I haven't had a headache, and cognitively I feel fine.

Did the hard hat do its job? Am I ok? Considering my last concussion happened after hitting my head on a shelf, I'm pretty shocked that it's not worse.

EDIT: What should I do now, as I'm waiting for symptoms to appear? Should I stay off the computer and rest completely?

I suggest that you at least get treatment for your neck. Spasming neck muscles are not good for many reasons. A chiro with gentle neck techniques, massage, a good neck PT. ????

The headache suggests you did traumatize your brain. You should at least take in easy for a while.

btw, Tylenol does not have any anti-inflammatory effect. Ibuprofen does.

Thanks for the quick response, Mark. What do you think - no tv, no computer? I would really love to just sit and watch Star Trek all day, but I probably shouldn't.

I walked a half mile to Safeway and got a very minor headache afterwards. My neck seems to be getting worse.

Maybe I should just lie in bed with an ice pack and an audiobook today. I was so scared of getting concussed again yesterday... I know the anxiety isn't helping.

I don't agree with the blanket 'no screens' restriction. Instead, I avoid intense screen time, video games, action movies, loud and active music videos.

One of my best veg out videos is Celtic Woman. I can fall asleep watching it.

Castle, The Closer, and similar shows also work for me. I am very selective about the kind of music I expose myself to.

Were you at work or was this a firewood or like activity ?

You might look up some videos for Neck relaxation therapies, if you can't go to some good PT or DC right away..

neck muscles- strained or in spasms can cause headaches also..

I wouldn’t focus on if another concussion, focus on treating any issues when & if they arrive.. neck & headaches - work on on those ...

Thanks everyone! It's making me feel better to take symptoms as they come and not feel so guilty for being on the computer. I was at work, Mark, but my employer is being very good about the whole thing.

My doctor just called and offered flexeril and a narcotic pain med for the neck pain. Is there any risk in taking these with a concussion being a possibility? I don't want to make things worse, but it would be nice to be pain free for a little bit.

I would expect your employer is being good about this. It was a widow maker, after all. They kill people.

The Flexeril would be my first choice but being seen by a neck specialist/ ortho/ortho-neuro would be top of the list. Did the ER do any X-rays or CT Scan of your neck ?

Tylenol/aspirin combined at full doses give pain relief like a low dose narcotic.

I just spent 4 days on Norco 5's then a dose of 2 Norco 5's. I'll never try that again. (325 acetaminophen w/ 5 of hydrocodone) Got off, had withdrawals (miserable anxiety) and switched to ibuprofen successfully.

The ER did an x-ray of the neck, which came back normal.

I settled on an insurance claim about a month ago after getting rear-ended at 30mph in traffic. I had neck pain then, too. Neck pain after my initial and subsequent concussions. Probably time to see a specialist. I did PT at OHSU in Feb. for a few weeks and it helped a lot. I've seen chiros before and the results have been mixed.

OHSU has a world renowned whiplash researcher. I hope his research makes in to the PT department. He gave me an email consult and suggested the views that would be worthwhile to request of my neck. Look up Michael D. Freeman, PhD MPH DC, http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/sch...?facultyid=474

An ER cervical X-Ray would just be looking for obvious fractures. I know of a man who suffered a strong impact to the top of his head who was thought to have a single fracture but upon surgical examination, they found much more damage.

Chiros are a mixed bag. I've only found 1 in 10 to be great.

I hope you can find the right specialist.

I went to an injury clinic through workers comp yesterday that does massage, PT, and chiro in one sessions with different specialists. They were all in awe at the amount of inflammation in my upper back and neck. I got heat and a very light massage, plus ultrasound therapy. The chiropractor wanted to do adjustments but I was way too guarded. They think the headaches are directly related to my back/neck tension.

When am I out of the woods as far as concussions go? I still feel fine - cognitively and emotionally. I'm getting some headaches but nothing too intense. It's been almost 4 days now. Maybe the brain didn't get sloshed around since it was a direct hit downward? Maybe my neck/back sacrificed themselves? Who knows....

I'm back to light duty next week. Some shop work and paperwork for the company and then on Wednesday I'll be supervising a subcontractor in the field and mixing herbicide for them.